Setup and Secure Magento 2 Admin URL

Magento is a powerful and popular ecommerce platform that provides businesses with a range of features and functionalities to build and manage their online store. The Magento admin panel, also known as the backend, is the control center where businesses can manage their store's operations, including products, orders, customers, and more.

The Magento 2 admin URL plays a crucial role in accessing the backend of the ecommerce store. However, the default URL is publicly available, making it vulnerable to potential security threats such as brute-force attacks and unauthorized access.

In this blog, we will discuss what Adobe Commerce admin URL is and why it is important to secure it. We will also explore how to change the URL and best practices for securing it to protect your ecommerce store.

What is the Magento 2 admin URL?

It is the web address used to access the Magento admin panel, also known as the backend, where businesses can manage their ecommerce store's operations.

Default admin URL

The default Magento 2 admin URL is structured as follows:

<your-store-domain>/admin

For example, if your store's domain name is "example.com", the default Magento 2 admin URL would be:

example.com/admin

 

The default admin URL is publicly available, which means that anyone can access it if they know the URL. This makes it vulnerable to potential security threats, such as brute-force attacks and unauthorized access. Therefore, it is recommended to change the default URL to a custom URL to enhance the security of your ecommerce store.

Why secure the Magento 2 admin URL?

Securing the URL is important for several reasons:

  • Protection against brute-force attacks
  • Prevent unauthorized access
  • Compliance with security standards

Securing the URL is an important step in protecting your ecommerce store's data and operations from potential security threats.

How to change the Magento 2 admin URL

There are three main methods for changing. Steps for each method:

Method 1: Changing via the Magento admin panel

Changing the admin URL via the Magento Admin panel is a straightforward process that can be done by following these steps:

  1. Log in to your Magento Admin panel.
  2. Click on the "Stores" tab in the main menu, and then click on "Configuration"
  3. In the left-hand menu, click on "Advanced" and then click on "Admin"
  4. Expand the "Admin Base URL" section.
  5. In the "Custom Admin URL" field, enter the new URL you want to use for your admin panel.
  6. Click on "Save Config"
  7. Clear your cache by going to "System" in the main menu, clicking on "Cache Management" and then clicking on "Flush Magento Cache"

After completing these steps, you should be able to access your admin panel using the new URL you specified. It's important to note that changing the admin URL won't make your Magento store completely secure, but it can help to make it more difficult for attackers to find the admin panel and attempt to exploit vulnerabilities.

Method 2: Changing via the command line

  1. Connect to your server via SSH.
    2. Navigate to the root directory of your Magento 2 installation.
    3. Run the following command to set the new admin URL:

````
php bin/magento setup:config:set --backend-frontname="new_admin_url"
```

Replace "new_admin_url" with the custom URL you want to use for the admin panel.

  1. Clear the Magento cache by running the following command:

````
php bin/magento cache:clean
```

  1. Verify that the new admin URL is working by accessing it in your web browser.

Method 3: Changing via the database

  1. Access your Magento 2 database using a tool such as phpMyAdmin or MySQL Workbench.
    2. Locate the `core_config_data` table and click on it to open it.
    3. Locate the `path` column and search for the row with the `path` value of `admin/url/custom`. This row contains the current admin URL.
    4. Click on the edit button (pencil icon) to edit the row.
    5. Change the `value` column to the custom URL you want to use for the admin panel.
    6. Click on the "Go" or "Save" button to save the changes.
    7. Clear the Magento cache by running the following command:

````
php bin/magento cache:clean
```

  1. Verify that the new admin URL is working by accessing it in your web browser.

Note: Whichever method you choose, make sure to record the new URL in a secure location for future reference.

Best practices for securing admin URL

Use strong passwords

Use strong, unique passwords for all admin accounts and encourage users to change their passwords regularly. Passwords should be at least 12 characters long and contain a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters.

Implement two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide a second form of identification, such as a code sent to their mobile device, in addition to their password. Supports two-factor authentication out of the box, and businesses can enable it in the admin panel.

Restrict access to the admin panel

Restrict access to the admin panel to authorized personnel only. This can be done by limiting the IP addresses that can access the panel or using a VPN to access the panel.

Keep Magento and all components up to date

Maintain the most recent security patches and updates for Adobe Commerce and its components. This helps to ensure that any known security vulnerabilities are addressed promptly and reduces the risk of security breaches.

Use SSL/TLS encryption

Use SSL/TLS encryption to protect data transmitted between the user's browser and the Magento 2 admin panel. It reduces the possibility of eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks.

With the following these best practices, businesses can enhance the security of their URL and protect their ecommerce store's data and operations from potential security threats.

Magento 2 admin URL not working

If you are having trouble accessing the Magento 2 admin URL, there are a few things you can try to resolve the issue:

  • Clear your browser cache and cookies: Sometimes, cached data and cookies can cause login issues. Clear your browser cache and cookies, and then try accessing the admin URL again.
  • Check the admin URL: Make sure that you are using the correct admin URL. The admin URL should be in the format "https://yourdomain.com/admin". If you have changed the admin URL, make sure you are using the correct URL.
  • Check the server configuration: Check that the server is configured correctly and that all required services are running. Make sure that the web server, PHP, and database server are all running and configured correctly.
  • Check the Magento installation: Make sure that the Magento installation is complete and that all files and directories have the correct permissions. Check the Magento logs for any errors or issues that might be preventing access to the admin URL.
  • Reset admin password: If you are not able to log in with your admin credentials, try resetting your admin password using the command line interface or using the Forgot password feature.

If none of these solutions work, it might be helpful to check the Magento community forums or seek help from a Magento developer.

Final words

In conclusion, the Magento 2 admin URL is the web address used to access the Magento admin panel, where businesses can manage their ecommerce store's operations. The default URL is publicly available, making it vulnerable to potential security threats such as brute-force attacks and unauthorized access.

By securing the URL, businesses can protect their ecommerce store's data and operations from potential security threats and ensure compliance with security standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).